


Shimla, India, 1938

by sleepismyfriend



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-29
Updated: 2012-08-29
Packaged: 2017-11-13 03:12:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/498798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amy knows the value of a best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shimla, India, 1938

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Weimlady](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Weimlady).



> Prompt was the Doctor meeting the Brigadier when he is young. Takes place after the mess with Lake Silencio and the Doctor receiving the phone call that the Brigadier had passed away.

There is no one like your best friend.

Watching Rory and the Doctor work beneath the console, Amy wonders if the Doctor's ever had someone the way she's had Rory. Someone he could tell all of the good days and most of the bad and receive little judgment. She's supposes being the last of his kind makes it rather difficult, but knows he must manage somehow. No one can travel the stars alone forever.

At least, no one should, at any rate.

They're not paying her any attention, the Doctor in the middle of some wild story to Rory about a three-headed alien cow as Amy approaches the console. There's a tingle in her fingers as she brushes the Time Rotor with one hand.

"You know what I'm thinking, don't you?" Amy asks. The TARDIS responds, shifting the monitor towards her. It begins with a picture of her, and then an older redhead Amy's never seen before.

As each picture changes, Amy does her best to try and remember a small detail from the one before. A blonde with a large smile close to Amy's age, a girl with a tight braid and flack jacket, and a gorgeous woman in a wispy white dress are just a few of the ones Amy sees.

By the time the monitor stops at one particular picture, Amy's holding it with both hands so she can read the information it's processing.

"Wait, isn't he the one who—" Amy's heard that name before, and suddenly everything makes more sense. She looks down at the Doctor, and knows why he's been acting so strange lately.

\--

"Since when do you pilot my TARDIS, Pond? I was just about to finish telling Rory about the three-headed alien cow when you jimmied the Rotor," the Doctor exits the TARDIS into the night air before turning to face them. He's ignoring the fact they're most likely back on Earth, instead pointing at Amy with one finger. "I know a jimmy when I see one."

"I didn't do anything. Honest." Amy lies, crossing her arms to try and prove a point. She hopes the TARDIS was right when she put it on autopilot. From the large manor house she can see in the distance, she knows the TARDIS can be accurate when she wants to be. "I was merely processing information the TARDIS was giving me."

"What could Sexy possibly tell you that I couldn't?"

"See for yourself—" Amy motions, and the Doctor whirls around to see a lone boy. He looks to be about eight Earth years with dark short hair. He's sitting near the edge of a pond, his trainers and socks to the side as he's crouched down, talking to the little soldiers he has lined up in formation on the grass in front of him.

"Where are we?" Rory asks as the Doctor moves away from them and towards the little boy.

"If I had to guess? Shimla, India. 1938," Amy replies as the Doctor stops. From the way his hand runs through his hair and scratches the back of his neck, Amy knows he's almost figured it out.

"Okay, why?"

"The important thing isn't why." Amy moves forward, knowing the Doctor's about to ask another question as Rory lingers near the TARDIS doors.

"You know who he is, don't you?" The Doctor asks, and Amy nods.

"In all your lives, there was ever only one constant for you to rely on," Amy says, having processed most of the information the TARDIS provided while adding a few things of her own. "And that little boy will one day grow up and be your best friend."

"Don't be ridiculous. Time Lords don't have best friends."

"Oh, but there's where you're wrong. You've had more best friends than anyone could ever have, and each time their story ends, it breaks your hearts." Amy had tried to ignore the extraneous details the TARDIS had provided, but managed to catch a few. "But the Brigadier was different. You never meant to find out where his story had ended, did you?"

The Doctor shakes his head as they watch Alistair pace in front of his soldiers with his hands behind his back.

"Always giving orders, even from an early age," the Doctor smiles, to avoid having things like heavy emotions and words seep through his expressions though his eyes grow quite teary. "Time and time again, he'll never miss an opportunity to tell me how irrational I'm being."

"Probably because you are."

"Cheeky Pond."

"You should go talk to him. Tell him to keep fighting the good fight, and all that jazz. He's young enough to believe anything you tell him."

"You don't know Alistair," the Doctor sighs. "It's late. Probably way later than it should be. Where are his parents? Don't they know Alistair is out here unsupervised when he should be in bed asleep?"

"Good point. You should remedy that. We'll be here when you get back."

"Amy—"

"I promise not to move the TARDIS, now go—" Amy moves towards Rory. The Doctor sighs, and as he moves towards the boy, he sees him slip and fall. He rushes over as Amy approaches her husband. Her head falls to Rory's shoulder as she watches the Doctor scoop Alistair up in his arms.

"Think we just changed his history?" Rory asks.

"I doubt it. By the Doctor's usual standards, who's to say we weren't supposed to be here in the first place? C'mon, let's go grab some grub and wait for him to get back." Amy leads Rory into the TARDIS as the Doctor carries Alistair towards his home.


End file.
